Society

Our thought was simple; why don't' we send ill-informed comedians to look at these social issues? And that turned out to be the magical idea – because people were used to experts and journalists, talking in terms of agricultural yields and geopolitics… we sent out normal people, who were very well known, to talk about human issues and human problems.

British Film Director & Screenwriter of Romantic Comedies

As comedians, our main charity engagement for such a long time had been the tradition of the Secret Policeman's Ball, a way of saying comedians care… they'll be as funny as they can…. they'll make money for a cause… but the event had close to no connection with the cause at all! When I did Comic Relief, the aim was to be as funny as possible, to get as much of an audience as possible, and leverage the fact that comedians are often seen as people's friends, and normal people, not as intellectuals.

British Film Director & Screenwriter of Romantic Comedies

So many of us think that we don't have power as individuals; and that makes us unwittingly complicit. Every time someone doesn't do the right thing in any given situation, it allows that situation to go on longer, and in that way, there's complicity – and that's dangerous culturally, and dangerous to our forward momentum as we try to move towards being the free people we're meant to be.

Actress & #MeToo activist who exposed Harvey Weinstein harassment

For me, freedom is living outside social norms, realising that power structures are an illusion and realising that the rules we put on ourselves and others are also illusions. Freedom means that we realise that we don't subscribe to illusions, and free ourselves from dogma.

Actress & #MeToo activist who exposed Harvey Weinstein harassment

I was raised in a really unique way, and it gave me a different view on gender and, in some ways, race. I was raised in a commune, and I grew up without mirrors- without vanity. To be without mirrors growing up means that there's no real defined sense of self based on the external. When I came into America however, I was told I was a girl, and this is what you can and can't do… it really is cult like thinking, and gender is a cult, and it's so dull… it's not what we are, it doesn't encompass what we are.

Actress & #MeToo activist who exposed Harvey Weinstein harassment

Individuality is my biggest fight, not #MeToo. People need to realise their own power, their own freedom, and their own ability to be better. My book Brave is not about #MeToo, but when I went on my first book tour – that was all people were asking me about; and once again, I had my narrative stolen – and I was portrayed as this figure, full of rage, because – perhaps – it's easier for people to not understand my narrative and write me off as angry, and that's a real shame.

Actress & #MeToo activist who exposed Harvey Weinstein harassment

We are first generation entrepreneurs, with middle class values, coming from middle class backgrounds, we never expected to be so wealthy! Our first reaction therefore is to share.

Co-Founder and Former CEO of Infosys, Indian IT Pioneer

art has always played a role in revolution, evolution and change. Art has always been a great changing force, the great common denominator, and a force to help people understand the world we live in, and the people within that world.

Member of hip-hop group The Roots; drummer and co-founder

The world would be a different place today if we would find a way to really empower girls and women globally. It is the solution, and I'm definitely not the only person that thinks that.

Founder and CEO of dating app Bumble, feminist entrepreneur

When you're a child, you define your team as those wearing the same jerseys and your team's goal is to defeat anyone wearing different jerseys. But as you get older, your notion of what constitutes a team evolves.

NBA's All-Time Leading Scorer & Six-Time Champion

So, the lesson I eventually learned was to distinguish between which teams are sincere in promoting true teamwork, and which are jingoistic self-serving pretenders. Teamwork does make the dream work, but not every team is worthy.

NBA's All-Time Leading Scorer & Six-Time Champion

We have become robots, instead of humans with feelings… with conversations… with letter writing, you know.

Holocaust survivor and author, stepsister of Anne Frank

I remember we used to have much better family ties too… parents very often lived with you, little children learned from the older generations, there was a deep personal link between generations… now? if I give advice to one of my grandchildren they laugh and say, 'oh my, you don't know about our lives today…'

Holocaust survivor and author, stepsister of Anne Frank

We [older generations] want to sit down with people and talk about things- but young people go to a restaurant, and sit together, both with their telephones! In today's world, people have become so ambitious, everything has to be quick, and everyone wants more… there is so much greed. Have, have, have. Everything has to be quick.

Holocaust survivor and author, stepsister of Anne Frank

We have lost the personal touch – today, everything is fast – impersonal, digital… yet, we are not robots. We need personal contact, we need to understand each other's feelings… and this can't be done via email; and especially for the older generations in or society, this change is really hard.

Holocaust survivor and author, stepsister of Anne Frank

Once the cancer of authoritarianism gets into the veins and organs of society, it's not easy to get-out – they have this very specific way of paralysing political mechanisms and dismantling the fundamental human logic.

Turkish journalist, author, and political commentator known for critical writings on democracy